Heredity is the process by which features and characteristics are passed on from parents to their children before the children are born.
Heredity is not a factor in causing the cancer.
Synonyms: genetics, inheritance, genetic make-up, congenital traits More Synonyms of heredity
heredity in British English
(hɪˈrɛdɪtɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-ties
1.
the transmission from one generation to another of genetic factors that determine individual characteristics: responsible for the resemblances between parents and offspring
2.
the sum total of the inherited factors or their characteristics in an organism
Word origin
C16: from Old French heredite, from Latin hērēditās inheritance; see heir
heredity in American English
(həˈrɛdɪti)
nounWord forms: pluralheˈredities
1.
a.
the transmission of characteristics from parent to offspring by means of genes in the chromosomes
b.
the tendency of offspring to resemble parents or ancestors through such transmission
2.
all the characteristics inherited genetically by an individual
Word origin
Fr hérédité < L hereditas, heirship < heres, heir < IE base *hē-, to be empty, leave behind > go1, Gr chēres, bereft
Examples of 'heredity' in a sentence
heredity
His experiments on pea plants had established the fundamental mechanism of heredity.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Features should not be relied on as proving heredity.
The Sun (2008)
(noun)
Definition
the passing on from one generation to another of genetic factors that determine individual characteristics